UK linebacker Jamin Davis takes part in drills during UK Football Fan Day open practice at Joe Craft Football Training Facility in Lexington, Ky., on Saturday, August 5, 2017.(Photo: Michael Reaves/Special to The Courier Journal, Courier Journal)Buy Photo

“He’s going to be out three or four weeks,” defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach Matt House said after practice Thursday morning. “Did something to his knee. Nothing major. He’ll be back, so he’ll be good.”

Davis, a former three-star recruit from Ludowici, Georgia, redshirted last season after enrolling early for the spring 2017 semester. In his lone public action for UK to date, he totaled a team-high eight tackles, including one tackle for loss, while playing against the first-team offense in the 2017 spring game.

Even before Davis’ injury, Jones was the only returning inside linebacker with any significant game experience on defense.

UK lost two-year “Mike” linebacker starter Courtney Love to graduation and Brown, who filled in for Jones while he was injured last season, to transfer.

Junior Kash Daniel, a former four-star recruit whose primary contributions have come on special teams the last two seasons, is expected to take over the starting “Mike” job. Davis and fellow redshirt freshman Alex King, who moved from inside linebacker to outside linebacker this spring, were serving as the second-team “Will” and “Mike” linebackers, respectively.

Davis could play both inside linebacker positions.

“Jamin, you can tell that redshirt season he took full advantage of,” House said earlier this spring. “He looks better than when he came in, and he developed. He looks more confident on the field, obviously. Really this is a full year for him, where a lot of freshmen it’s just through fall. It’s his second spring. He looks more comfortable. Now, it’s still a learning experience for him, but he definitely looks more physically developed.”

House dismissed concerns about remaining depth at the inside linebacker positions, noting with walk-ons they can still go three deep for the remaining spring practices, but it’s clear the lack of experience has only been exacerbated with Davis’ injury.

With Davis out, 2018 signee DeAndre Square, who has already enrolled for the spring semester, is set to see an expanded role at the “Will” spot this spring.

“He’s done some good things, but he’s looked like a freshman too,” House said of Square. “That’s hard, when you haven’t even gone to your senior prom year and you’re trying to figure it out. But the great thing about being an early enrollee like that is the progression you can make between now and training camp.”